Kurt C. Peterson, Publisher
As the weather heats up in most places, the big attraction is the local swimming hole. That might be a city pool, a lake or maybe a backyard pool. All of them offer relief from the heat and a time to enjoy water to its fullest. But is it safe? Every year, there are many reports of near drownings, infections and injuries associated with this favorite American water sport. Many of these can be mitigated with known best practices and procedures. A cautionary tale, however, comes from Florida, as it grapples with more cases of Vibrio vulnificus (otherwise known as flesh-eating bacteria), that has affected swimmers in the state’s warm-water areas. Many Americans enjoy fresh- and salt-water sports, which makes them vulnerable to those elements of Nature that we cannot always overcome.
And while we may not be able to control the causes of water contamination, we can condition and purify with a host of treatment options in the home and public bathing spaces. It’s imperative that treatment addresses the contaminant issue without adversely affecting human health—a tricky balance that is often as difficult to achieve as with drinking water. Residential pool treatment is often accomplished by the homeowner or a pool service company, though this application is also a specialty of many water treatment dealers as well.
Of the many treatment options, ozone has proven very useful in water environments. Greg Reyneke, MWS, goes in depth in his Dealer Dynamics column on the uses of ozone for a variety of applications. While most residential applications are confined to pools and spas, there are many viable uses for this technology. Another that is coming to the fore in pool and spa treatment is AOP technology, which is outlined by Nick Rancis. C.F. ‘Chubb’ Michaud, MWS, ventures further into the requirements for water recycling in his second installment, focusing this month on maximizing this limited resource. Kelly A. Reynolds, PhD, examines how we use chlorine for disinfection and if, like many other countries, it would be possible and feasible to eliminate its use in favor of other methodologies.
Florida WQA recently held a very successful annual convention, as did Clear Choice, Water-Right’s professional dealer network. We’ve provided a recap of both events, including highlights and photos. At the height of convention season, there is much to be learned at the many trade shows and conventions hosted by organizations, companies and others. Don’t be left out of the loop; whatever your water treatment specialty, there’s something for everyone in a multitude of events that run throughout the year, around the world.